North Dakota Senate excludes academic institutions from sports betting

The Senate Chamber is located in the North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck. – CC BY-SA

The North Dakota Senate voted against removing academic institutions from a resolution to authorize sports betting.

Sen. Larry Luick proposed an amendment to exclude high schools, colleges and universities from House Concurrent Resolution 3002 (HCR 3002). However, it lost by one vote of 24 to 23 earlier this week.

HCR 3002 would include off-reservation legal sports betting on professional sports on the November 2024 statewide ballot.

Greg Stemen proposed HCR 3002 to the House Judiciary Committee at the start of the year. The Senate is the upper body of the Legislative Assembly in North Dakota and is smaller than the House of Representatives.

HCR 3002 was sent to the committee in February after passing the North Dakota House on January 12 by a vote of 49-44. That vote provided the motion one more vote than the required 48 to advance to the Senate.

The amendment proposed by the Senate Judiciary on Wednesday would have amended the legislative assembly’s phrasing on sports betting approval from “shall” to “may.”

The phrase “to be conducted on professional sports” would have also been included in the text. This adjustment would have helped ensure that sports betting would not be permitted on educational institution properties.

Concerns over mental health issues

Luick addressed the major mental health issues among athletes in universities, colleges, and high schools. He emphasized anxiety and depression, which he described as “increasing intensively.”

The Senator also mentioned how authorizing gambling in schools would almost certainly lead to financial problems for students residing on campuses where sports betting would be permitted.

North Dakota already enables internet sports betting on the reservations of five tribal nations that have authorized gaming compacts with the state. However, no off-reservation online sports betting is permitted without a constitutional revision.

Residents in North Dakota will ultimately decide whether or not to legalize sports betting outside of tribal casinos in their state.